The Second Option
by TwyliteLuvr
Summary: AU This story takes place as if Edward had chosen the second option, he didn't change Bella, instead stayed with her for her life. When the story opens, Bella is 82 years old and dying. summary in 1st chap. R
1. Dying

_**A/N: AU This story is and takes place as if Edward had chosen the second option, the option of not changing Bella and just staying with her for her lifetime. When the story opens, Bella is eighty-two years old (quite old enough to look like Edward's grandmother) and terminally ill in a hospital. Bella and Edward have had a wonderful life together, and Bella eventually accepted Edward's wish that she remain human. (Even though she still would have liked to be changed.) I hope you like my story, and please review. I haven't seen a plot similar to this. :) The POV's will switch around a bit between Edward and Bella. By the way, this is my first fanfic. :)) **_

_**Disclaimer: Don't own Twilight**_

The Second Option

D y i n g

Bella POV

I knew what was happening. He told me that it wasn't. But I knew it really was. He sits there, beside my bed, and I can see it in his beautiful golden eyes. The fear. Fear that I'm leaving soon. Because it's true, I am. I'm dying, and he can't stop it. That is, not without changing me. But he decided not to change me over sixty years ago. I bet he wishes he had now.

Edward POV

I can't stand this. She lies there, so weak and frail, even more so than when she was healthy. She's dying, and I know it. I'll follow after her, it won't be long now, but she doesn't want me to take my life. If you classify my living as life. In my opinion, I'm dead already. I have no soul. But she and Carlisle think otherwise. Maybe they're right, maybe they're not. But I definitely cannot live in a world without Bella, I will follow after her. 

I'm staring into her unchanged chocolate brown eyes. She's still so beautiful, even as an old lady, even dying.

Dying. I can't believe she's dying. I should have changed her when she asked. But that was over sixty years ago. 

My body starts to shake with tearless sobs. I wish that I could hide my sadness from her. But she sees it.

Bella POV 

I see him sobbing. It tears at my heart. I clear my throat. I really need to tell him something before I go, before it's too late. I feel that the time is coming soon.

"Edward."

"Yes, Bella?" he says through sobs.

"Edward, I love you."

His sobs shake his body harder. "Bella, I love you, too."

"Edward, I need to tell you something"

"Yes, anything," he replies.

"Edward, I can feel it, I'm dying. And I don't want you to follow me. Your family needs you. You can't take yourself away from them. You just can't."

"You are my life. When you die, I will follow."

I felt tears starting to fall down my cheeks. "Edward, don't leave me, please, I don't want to go. I don't want to leave you."

He reached over gently and hugged me carefully.

Just then, Carlisle came in to check on me. He said that I need some rest, and gave me some medicine. Soon, I was drifting off to sleep, dreaming dreams of when both Edward and I were young.

_**A/N: Hope you liked it! Please review! I don't know how far I'm going to take this story. I have three chapters written currently, but I do need some opinion on how it's coming for it to continue. I need one review to post the second chapter!**_

_**Twy**_


	2. Thinking

Disclaimer: I still don't own Twilight

T h i n k i n g

Edward POV

Carlisle came in and put Bella to sleep.

Carlisle thought:_ Edward, she's going to die soon. Probably tonight. I can't delay it any longer. Her body has no more resistance. I'm sorry. _

I looked at my watch. It was about three o'clock in the afternoon. I started sobbing again.

Carlisle: _Edward, I know you put this out of your mind a long time ago, but it's never too late. Perhaps you should change her. I know you don't want to condemn her to this life, but she wants it. Jasper can feel how badly she wants it. She loves you so much, and you love her. Your love is enough for forever. The decision is yours, though._

He put a hand on my shoulder, looked into my eyes, and left.

Bella POV

I wake up. It's dark outside now. Edward still sits by my bed. His eyes are closed, and he seems to be deep in thought. He's so handsome.

All of the sudden, it hit me. I feel sick. I don't know what's wrong with me. I start to sweat, but I feel cold at the same time. I knew it was finally happening. It was time. I was dying. 

Edward noticed my dramatic change in health. He looked at me with renewed fear in his eyes. I have to tell him. One last time. Before it takes over. 

"Edward, I love you so much."

"Bella, I love you." His words seem to be getting softer and softer at the end of his small sentence. I can barely hear him at 'you'.

Then I blacked out.

I'm being pulled toward a bright light. And then pain. So much pain it wakes me back up. It hits me hard. I can't see the light anymore. All I can feel is the fire that is consuming my body. This must be my suffering for all the bad that I've done.

Then I blacked out again.

_**A/N: Sorry for the short chapter! This one is just kind of a filler between chapters one and three. Review so I know if I should continue the story!**__** Third chapter is ready to go! I am holding it hostage until I get more reviews! I have 40 plus hits and 1 review! More reviews! :) that is the end of my rant.**_

_**Twy**_


	3. Change

Disclaimer: Twilight is not mine!

C h a n g e 

Edward POV 

Her heart is slowing down. I have to do something. Now. I can't let her die. 

She just passed out. I call Carlisle. He runs in a bit too fast for a human.

He looks at her and thinks: _This is it, Edward. She's not coming back out of this one. She is going to die. What is your decision?_

"I can't let her die." I said.

I leaned over and kissed her softly on the lips, then I moved down to her throat and bit.

I scooped her up, and ran to the car.

Carlisle smiles and thinks: _Good choice. She can finally be with us._

When I got home, Alice was waiting for me on the front steps.

"I'm so excited!" She squealed. "I can't believe you finally did it! You won't believe what's going to happen! I'm not going to tell you, though, because it's a surprise!"

I tried to read her mind, but she blocked me. I got Bella inside and laid her on the bed in my room to wait out her transformation.

She still seems to be in the coma that she was in at the hospital. I hope that she doesn't wake up until the end so that she won't feel the pain.

Two day later

She's still sleeping. She has been thrashing around as if she's having a bad dream, but that's it. She moans, "Edward, don't leave me." every so often, but besides that, she is quiet.

Bella POV

Three days later

I woke up. The fire continues to burn me. It's worse now. The light never came back. Maybe this is hell. I can't tell. Am I dying or already dead? I think I'm dead, if this is hell. I'm being held in someone's arms. The arms aren't cold. They feel just like any other normal person's arms. I don't like this. Only Edward's cold arms should hold me. I try to get out of the arms, but I can't move with the fire consuming me. I scream. I feel my heart slowing down. So maybe I am dying. 

Edward POV

She screams. The screams tear me apart, but I would rather her here than dead. I squeeze my eyes shut and hold her in my arms tightly. I hear her heart slowing down. It's almost over now. I can't wait for it to finally be done with. Her heart stops. I open my eyes to look at her.

I gasp. It's like looking more than sixty years into the past. She looks seventeen. Just like me. I thought she couldn't get any more beautiful. I was wrong. She looks better than any model, even more beautiful than Rosalie. Her hair had gone from snow white back to its gorgeous shade of brown, and it was longer and softer. Her face was more defined but looked similar to how it had when she was younger. She was stunning. She would be so happy to find that she was young like me! I know she hated growing older while I stayed the same.

Bella POV

The fire is dying. I heard someone gasp. It sounded like Edward. I hope he's here where ever I am.

I open my eyes and see his golden eyes looking at me with love and _awe?_

Then I noticed it. The pain was gone. Everything was so clear, like my senses had been multiplied, I was aware of everything, and I felt better than I had when I was young. I stretched my hands out in front of me and noticed that they were the same porcelain white as Edward's. Was I in heaven? Then he spoke.

"Welcome back, love."

"Edward, what happened?" I asked.

"You were going to die, so I changed you."

So that would explain everything! The fire, no more pain, the clarity of the world around me, my new skin.

He kissed me. With no caution this time. As I had grown older, his kisses had gotten more and more careful. I liked this. He could kiss me with as much passion as he wanted to now. 

"You might want to see a mirror." He was smiling my favorite crooked smile as he picked me up and set me on my feet in front of a full-length mirror.

I was young again, about seventeen. I looked like Edward's wife now, not his grandmother. I was gorgeous, even more so than Rosalie. 

"Wow." I said, overwhelmed. 

He was looking into my eyes again, and the next thing I knew, his lips were crashing into mine.

Just then, Alice bounded in the room.

"Didn't I tell you this was gonna be great?!"

_**A/N: Good? Bad? Suggestions for what's written? Suggestions for the plot? (Because it's going nowhere right now haha.) I need to know! Review! This is the end of what I have written. So if you want me to be creative and exert myself, then I'm going to need you to exert yourself by clicking that little purple-ish button and following the instructions.**_

_**Twy**_


	4. Welcome Home

A/N: This chapter is dedicated specially to TheChocoholicOfTwilight for reviewing my story. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Twilight is not mine!

W e l c o m e H o m e

_He was looking into my eyes again, and the next thing I knew, his lips were crashing into mine._

_Just then, Alice bounded in the room._

"_Didn't I tell you this was gonna be great?!"_

"Alice," Edward said with his lips still on mine, "Can't I have one moment _alone _with Bella?"

"Yeah, Alice," I mumbled, still not breaking the kiss, "Can't we have one more minute?"

"Okay, one minute. Starting… NOW!" Alice said as she dashed from the room.

Then Edward's hands wove themselves into my hair and he kissed me with even more passion than before. If I was still human, that kiss would have broken several bones. I threw myself into the kiss at Edward with even more passion. This knocked him over, our lips still connected, and we fell off the bed and onto the floor with a thud.

_So much for my new vampire grace,_ I thought.

But Edward still didn't break the kiss and there was no reason to, since I didn't need to breathe anymore. We were still lying on top of each other making out on the floor when Alice came back in.

"Your minute was up about thirty minutes ago," she said.

Edward finally broke the kiss. "She'll never leave us alone if you don't go with her now," he smiled.

"Okay, Alice. You probably want to dress me up now that I'm a vampire, so let's get it over with."

"Bella, if you hadn't noticed, you're still in that hospital gown! I'll get you out of it and cleaned up and then we'll go reintroduce you to everybody. Say bye to Edward!"

I _was_ still in the hospital gown that didn't fit me at all anymore. I looked at Edward and he had an amused look in his eyes as Alice flung me over her shoulder and dragged me away.

"Bye, Edward," I yelled, "if I don't make it back, remember: I love you!"

I could hear him laughing as Alice carried me away.

Once we got to Alice's closet, which was so large that it had an echo, Alice set me down and started going through her clothes.

"I knew you were going to be seventeen again and what size you would be, so I already have plenty of clothes for you to wear!" She said happily.

"Good. No shopping for me." I replied.

"Oh, don't worry, Bella. As soon as you get some self-control and can control your blood lust, there will be plenty of time for shopping." She said as she grinned evilly.

I had forgotten about that part of my new self.

She shoved a gorgeous navy blue sundress into my arms, along with underwear and some matching blue flip-flops.

"Go take a shower." She commanded.

I turned the water all the way hot, and it felt great on my icy skin. I got out of the shower and towel-dried my hair. I thought that I might have to blow-dry it, but in thirty seconds, it was dry and fell perfectly down my back.

Once I was dressed, Alice came back in to see me.

"Bella! You look absolutely gorgeous!" She gushed.

I looked at myself in the mirror, and besides my glowing crimson eyes, I looked amazing.

I ran back to Edward's and my room, anxious to see him again after our short time apart. He was lying on the bed with his eyes closed, and I was careful not to make any noise as I snuck up on him. When I was close enough, I launched myself into the air and onto his chest. His eyes snapped open as he jumped.

Then he sat up, took me in his arms, smiled, and said, "Well, this will definitely take some getting used to. I'm used to the Bella who comes thudding in and trips over her own feet every three steps."

"I hope that Bella is gone." I said.

"I'm going to miss her." He replied, smiling his crooked smile.

His golden eyes seemed to draw me in, and our lips had just touched when Alice came bouncing back in. Edward and I groaned in unison.

"Oh come on, you can do that later. Now, it's time to go introduce the new Bella to the rest of the family. You can't have her all to yourself all of the time, Edward."

He chuckled, "I only wish I could."

"If I had my way, you would." I said.

Edward got up off of the bed and set me down gently on the ground. Alice danced out of the room ahead of us, and Edward took my hand as we walked gracefully out of the room. He no longer felt abnormally cold, he felt normal now. When we got downstairs, everyone was already gathered on the couches in the living room. I heard several gasps as I entered the room. Esme and Carlislewere on one couch, Emmett and Rosalie were on another, and Jasper and Alice were on a larger couch in the middle. Edward sat down next to Alice and pulled me onto his lap. Carlisle was the first to speak.

"Welcome home, Bella. We are all so glad that Edward decided to keep you with us."

"Thanks, Carlisle, I'm glad Edward decided to keep me, too," I said as I looked into his loving eyes.

"I do have a question, though," I continued, "How am I so young again? I was eighty-two when Edward changed me. Now I look seventeen, like Edward."

"Well, that's a hard question to fully answer," Carlisle replied, "I think it was that, as a human, your heart's greatest desire was to be forever seventeen with Edward for eternity. Even though that desire seemed like it wouldn't come true as you got older, I have no doubt that you never let go of this desire. As I've said before, your strongest human characteristics are carried into your new life when you are changed. Your desire was obviously strong enough to come through with you to your new life, too."

I nodded in agreement. Even though Edward had insisted on not changing me, I still wanted most to be changed. I decided to live my life out his way because I loved him so much.

"Well," I said, "If that's all, Edward and I were rudely interrupted by Alice from our previous engagements and would like to resume them. So we'll be going now."

Edward picked me up bridal style and ran back up to our room.

* * *

_A/N: Special thanks to **TheChocoholicOfTwilight** for their help with this chapter! Hope you all enjoyed the long chapter. :) I have some ideas that are posted on my author's page, but I really don't know what's coming next. Ideas for the plot are welcomed! Oh, and I think Bella should have a special power (like Edward's is mind reading, Alice's is having her visions, etc.) got ideas for her power? So leave your comments for the story, ideas for the plot, ideas for Bella's power, or anything else and it would make me extremely happy! :) Reviews motivate me so much to keep writing, so by pressing that button and typing out a review, you will both make me happy and cause more chapters will be posted! Yay! XD_


	5. Flashback

Disclaimer: Yeah, yeah. Twilight is not mine. I own no Twilight anything. This chapter is for my dedicated readers. :) You guys know who you are.

F l a s h b a c k

When we got back to our room, Edward set me down on the bed.

"Hmm. Where were we?" He whispered to me.

"Oh yes, I remember now," he laughed lightly and kissed me gently on the lips.

"I don't think you remember at all," I said. "We were _here_." I wove my hands through his hair and pulled him close to me. His lips crashed into mine, and I threw myself into the kiss with a bit too much enthusiasm once again. We toppled off the bed, and Edward laughed but still didn't break the kiss. Our lips moved together, and the time flew by.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

Eventually, we disconnected our lips. We were both breathing heavily as Edward picked me up and laid me on the bed.

"You know, I can move without hurting myself now," I pouted.

His golden eyes widened in mock hurt. "You don't like it when I pick you up?"

Edward laid down next to me and wrapped his arms around me. We laid there in silence, and I remembered that I couldn't fall asleep anymore. I cleared my mind and tried to get as close to sleeping as possible. Soon, I drifted off into pleasant memories from when I was alive and young.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

_It was finally here! The day my Edward and I were to be wed. I was initially hesitant to marry Edward at such a young age, but I loved him so much that wasn't it just right for us to get married?_

_Alice had spent hours getting me ready. Now Edward stood at the front of the church and I was walking down the aisle with Charlie. Breaking the news to Charlie had been hard to do, but he accepted it saying that whatever made me happy was good enough for him._

_Edward's eyes were full of love as he watched me proceed down the aisle. Once I got up to the altar with Edward, his golden eyes captured and kept my attention for most of the service._

_I didn't really catch what was going on until the minister said, "Do you, Isabella Marie Swan, take Edward Anthony Masen Cullen to be your lawful wedded husband? Do you promise to love and cherish him, in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, for better or worse, and forsaking all others, keeping yourself only unto him, for so long as you both shall live?"_

_I was starting to tear up as I said, "I do." _

"_And do you, Edward Anthony Masen Cullen, take Isabella Marie Swan to be your lawful wedded wife? Do you promise to love and cherish her, in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, for better or worse, and forsaking all others, keeping yourself only unto her, for so long as you both shall live?"_

"_I do." His eyes were full of excitement and love just for me._

"_Do you together promise in the presence of your friends and family that you will at all times and in all circumstances, conduct yourselves toward one another as becomes Husband and Wife? Do you together promise you will love, cherish and respect one another throughout the years?"_

_Together we said, "We do."_

_He slipped a ring on my finger, and I did the same for him._

"_By the power invested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."_

_Edward lifted my veil and kissed me. _

_I could hear Renée sobbing and Charlie sniffling in the crowd. Carlisle and Esme were about to burst with pride for their son. Alice was bouncing up and down in the pew and Jasper was almost to that point from the intense excitement coming from Alice. Rosalie had a slight smile on her face and Emmett was snickering._

_I was so excited, and I could see the excitement shining in Edward's beautiful golden eyes, too. We officially belonged to each other and no one else._

_The reception went as smoothly as it could have. It did involve dancing, though. I danced on top of Edward's feet as he spun me elegantly around the room. Edward was reluctant to let me out of his hands to dance with other guys, but he did. I danced with Carlisle, Charlie, and Emmett. All of the Cullens pretended to drink their champagne when Charlie toasted Edward and me. I think Edward and Alice both accidentally swallowed some because I saw both of them make a funny face. All in all, it was fun and I was glad that I was finally bound to Edward. _

_Our night in the honeymoon suite in the fancy hotel Edward brought me to was great. Especially since it was away from the other Cullens. Edward and I finally had some alone time. _

As I thought of it, I snapped out of my daydreaming and had a great idea.

"Hey, Edward, I have a great idea." I said suggestively.

"Oh?" He kissed my forehead absentmindedly. "And what would that be?"

I replied by kissing him. He seemed confused but kissed me back passionately anyway.

We were making out, for the third time that day, and I still wasn't tired of it. My hands drifted down to his shirt collar. We hadn't had this much fun in a long time. He finally understood what I was getting at, and didn't try to stop me at all. In fact, he helped me. When I was human he had always been hesitant, but it was a different story now.

Two minutes later, our clothes were in a pile on the floor.

"I love you, Bella," he whispered.

"I love you, too, Edward." I whispered back.

That night was even better than our honeymoon night.

A/N: And I'll leave the rest to your imagination. ;)

Sorry this chapter took so long! But it's out! YAY! I have _no idea_ what's coming next, so some plot suggestions would be nice. Or chapter 6 will be three times as slow as this chapter was. As always, review! You know you love the little purple button. XD

**Oh and if you haven't seen my author's page, I will not start writing or thinking about chapter 6 (which I have no idea about) until i get _2 reviews_. **

**Suggestions for what next needed. :l **


	6. Hello, Good Readers!

Hello, good readers! Sorry this isn't a real chapter post, but it must be done. So, here is my Author's Note: I feel that I did not do my best job with the first few chapters. It seems to me that I could have done a better job putting more feeling – both Edward and Bella's – in chapters 1, 2, and 3. I was rushing to get the chapters out and not actually perfecting them. So, I am considering and have almost completely made up my mind to delete this story and start anew. It will be the same story, I just hope that I can convey it better this time. The new copy will have the same name, _The Second Option_. I will leave the old story up until I can write the first one or two chapters of the new and improved _The Second Option_. I hope that my devoted readers will read my new story. Thanks! Here's to longer, more well-written chapters!


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